Celebrating The Stellar Career Of One Miami Landscape Architect

It’s a momentous year for Miami landscape architect Raymond Jungles. Renowned for his lush residential and public gardens exuding native plants, Jungles is not only celebrating 40 years in business, but he’s also received the distinguished ASLA Design Medal by the American Society of Landscape Architects for his exceptional work. Below, Jungles shares more about his regarded career.

Congratulations on 40 years! What advice would you have given yourself at the beginning of your career?

I don’t think I would do anything differently. Well, I wish I didn’t work so much, but then I wouldn’t be where I am now. I was able to achieve a lot of impactful work at an early age, which gave me a jump start on the kind of projects we do now as a company.

What’s exciting you in South Florida landscape design at the moment?

I see more native plantings, along with more ecological thinking. We are currently working with ecologists to restore landscapes back to where they would have been before human intervention.

How do you envision residential landscape design in the area evolving over the next decade?

I’m excited to see a growing number of gardens with native species that belong in South Florida. I’m also looking forward to seeing regulatory agencies become more open-minded so we can have richer environments and create habitats in areas that have been sterilized by human development.